Paper interface for simulation environments

Abstract

Techniques for using a paper interface to replay time-based media information captured for a simulation and/or restart execution of a simulation program from a user-selectable time point. A static representation is generated for time-based media information captured during a simulation. The static representation may be printed on a paper medium. The paper medium on which the static representation is printed may be used to perform various operations such as replaying previously recorded time-based media information for a simulation from a user-selectable time point. The paper medium on which the static representation is printed may also be used to restart execution of a simulation program from a user-selectable time point from a previous run of the simulation program.

1. A method performed by a computer system of initiating execution of a video game, the method comprising:
 receiving information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determining a first time point using the time information; 
 determining, from state information stored for the previously executed video game, first state information corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; 
 accessing the first state information from the stored state information; 
 causing a data processor in the computer system to execute the video game from the first time point using the first state information; and 
 outputting images generated during execution of the video game to an output device. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the first state information comprises:
 determining a first execution path of the video game for the first time point from a plurality of execution paths of the video game; 
 determining state information for the first execution path from the state information stored for the video game; and 
 determining the first state information for the first time point from the state information determined for the first execution path. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2  wherein determining the first execution path comprises:
 outputting information identifying the plurality of execution paths; and 
 receiving information indicating selection of the first execution path from the plurality of execution paths. 
 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 2  wherein determining the first execution path comprises:
 determining the first execution path from the first tag. 
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 accessing time-based media information recorded for the previous execution of the video game; 
 generating a static representation for the time-based media information, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of a portion of the time-based media information; 
 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the set of tags including the bar code; and 
 
     printing the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     6. A method of replaying information, the method executed on a computer system, the method comprising:
 receiving information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determining a first time point using the time information; 
 determining, based upon the first time point, a portion of time-based media information recorded for the previously executed video game corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; 
 accessing the portion of the time-based media information; and 
 
     initiating replay of the portion of the time-based media information using an output device. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6  wherein determining the portion of time-based media information comprises:
 determining a first execution path of the video game for the first time point from a plurality of execution paths of the video game; 
 determining time-based media information for the first execution path from the time-based media information recorded for the video game; and 
 
     determining the portion of time-based media information from the time-based media information determined for the first execution path. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 7  wherein determining the first execution path comprises:
 outputting information identifying the plurality of execution paths; and 
 receiving information indicating selection of the first execution path from the plurality of execution paths. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 7  wherein determining the first execution path comprises:
 determining the first execution path from the bar code. 
 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 generating a static representation based upon the time-based media information for the previous execution of the video game, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of the portion of the time-based media information; and 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the sets of tag including the bar code; and 
 
 
     printing the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     11. A method of performing an operation based upon information read from a paper document, the method comprising:
 receiving information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determining a first time point using the time information; 
 determining a present mode; 
 if the present mode is determined to be a first mode:
 determining, from state information stored for a previous execution of the previously executed video game, first state information for the first time point corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; 
 causing a data processor to execute the video game from the first time point using the first state information, including accessing the first state information from the stored stat information; 
 outputting images generated during execution of the video game to an output device; and 
 
 if the present mode is determined to be a second mode:
 determining, based upon the first time point, a portion of time-based media information recorded for the previously executed video game corresponding to the particular state of execution of the previously executed video game as indicated by the first time point; 
 accessing the portion of the time-based media information; 
 replaying the portion of the time-based media information; and 
 
 outputting images generated during replay of the portion of the time-based media information to an output device. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 receiving information identifying a second tag read from the paper medium; and 
 changing the present mode responsive to receiving the information identifying the second tag. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 generating a static representation based upon the time-based media information for the previous execution of the video game, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of the portion of the time-based media information; 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the set of tags including the bar code; and 
 a second tag for switching between the first mode and the second mode; and 
 
 
     printing the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     14. A system for executing a video game, the system comprising:
 a data processing system; 
 a simulation engine in communication with the data processing system; and 
 an output device; 
 wherein the data processing system is configured to:
 receive information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determine a first time point using the time information; 
 determine, from state information stored for the previously executed video game, first state information corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; and 
 access the first state information from the stored state information; 
 
 wherein the simulation engine is configured to cause the data processing system to initiate execution of the video game from the first time point using the first state information; 
 
     wherein images generated during execution of the video game are presented on the output device. 
   
   
     15. The system of  claim 14  wherein the data processing system is configured to determine the first state information by:
 determining a first execution path of the video game for the first time point from a plurality of execution paths of the video game; 
 determining state information for the first execution path from the state information stored for the video game; and 
 
     determining the first state information for the first time point from the state information determined for the first execution path. 
   
   
     16. The system of  claim 15  wherein determining the first execution path comprises:
 outputting information identifying the plurality of execution paths; and 
 receiving information indicating selection of the first execution path from the plurality of execution paths. 
 
   
   
     17. The system of  claim 15  wherein determining the first execution path comprises determining the first execution path from the bar code. 
   
   
     18. The system of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a printer device in communication with the data processing system; 
 wherein the data processing system is further configured to:
 access time-based media information recorded for the previous execution of the video game; 
 generate a static representation for the time-based media information, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of a portion of the time-based media information; 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the set of tags including the bar code; and 
 
 
 
     wherein the printer device is configured to print the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     19. A system for replaying information, the system comprising:
 a data processing system; and 
 an output device coupled to the data processing system; 
 wherein the data processing system is configured to:
 receive information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determine a first time point using the time information; 
 determine, based upon the first time point, a portion of time-based media information recorded for the previously executed video game corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game as indicated by the first time point; and 
 access the portion of the time-based media information; 
 
 
     wherein the output device is configured to replay the portion of the time-based media information. 
   
   
     20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the data processing system is configured to determine the portion of time-based media information by:
 determining a first execution path of the video game for the first time point from a plurality of execution paths of the video game; 
 determining time-based media information for the first execution path from the time-based media information recorded for the video game; and 
 
     determining the portion of time-based media information from the time-based media information determined for the first execution path. 
   
   
     21. The system of  claim 19  further comprising a printer device coupled to the data processing system, wherein:
 the data processing system is configured to generate a static representation based upon the time-based media information for the previous execution of the video game, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of the portion of the time-based media information; and 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the sets of tag including the bar code; and 
 
 
     the printer device is configured to print the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     22. A system for performing an operation based upon information read from a paper document, the system comprising:
 a data processing system; 
 a simulation engine; and 
 an output device; 
 wherein the data processing system is configured to:
 receive information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 determine a first time point using the time information; 
 determine a present mode; 
 determine, from state information stored for the previously executed video game, first state information corresponding to the particular state of execution of the previously executed video game as indicated by the first time point and access the first state information from the stored state information, if the present mode is determined to be a first mode; and 
 determine, based upon the first time point, a portion of time-based media information recorded for the previously executed video game corresponding to the particular state of execution of the previously executed video game as indicated by the first time point and access the portion of the time-based media information, if the present mode is determined to be a second mode; 
 
 wherein the simulation engine is configured to initiate execution of the video game from the first time point using the first state information if the present mode is determined to be the first mode; and 
 
     wherein the output device is configured to replay the portion of the time-based media information if the present mode is determined to be a second mode. 
   
   
     23. The system of  claim 22  wherein the data processing system is configured to:
 receive information identifying a second tag read from the paper medium; and 
 change the present mode responsive to receiving the information identifying the second tag. 
 
   
   
     24. The system of  claim 22  further comprising a printer device, wherein:
 the data processing system is configured to:
 generate a static representation based upon the time-based media information for the previous execution of the video game, wherein the static representation comprises:
 a visual representation of the portion of the time-based media information; 
 a set of tags, each tag representing a time point, the set of tags including the bar code; and 
 a second tag for switching between the first mode and the second mode; and 
 
 
 
     the printer device is configured to print the static representation on a paper medium to produce the paper document. 
   
   
     25. An apparatus for initiating execution of a video game, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 means for determining a first time point using the time information; 
 means for determining, from state information stored for a previously executed video game, first state information corresponding to the particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; 
 means for accessing the first state information from the stored state information; 
 means for causing a data processor to execute of the video game from the first time point using the first state information; and 
 
     an output device to display images generated during execution of the video game. 
   
   
     26. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a data processor for initiating execution of a video game, the plurality of instructions comprising:
 instructions that cause the data processor to receive information identifying a bar code read from a paper document, the bar code comprising time information corresponding to an event in an execution path of a previously executed video game; 
 instructions that cause the data processor to determine a first time point using the time information; 
 instructions that cause the data processor to determine, from state information stored for the previously executed video game, first state information corresponding to a particular state of execution of the previously executed video game based on the first time point; 
 instructions that cause the data processor to access the first state information from the stored state information; 
 instructions that cause the data processor to initiate execution of the video game from the first time point using the first state information; and 
 
     instructions that cause the data processor to output images generated during execution of the video game to an output device.